Oct. 9, 2009

Final Stats

ADRIAN, Mich. - The volleyball team has played more than a few five-setters this season and once again on Friday night they were in that scenario. This time, the Bulldogs came through with the big plays down the stretch in a 19-25, 25-20, 25-22, 20-25, 15-13 win over Olivet.

The Bulldogs struggled in the first set early losing the first three points of the match and also trailing 6-3 before coming back. AC tied the score six times in the set and Olivet made the big plays in the latter half of the set. The teams were tied 18-18 and Mallory Schug was serving for the Comets when they scored four straight points to take a 22-18 lead. The Bulldogs made three miscues to give the first set to the Comets.

Adrian rebounded in the next two sets to take a 2-1 lead heading into the fourth set. Courtney Sellers served four straight points to take a 6-2 lead in the second set and Olivet never could gain a lead as they trailed 16-9 at one point. Adrian and Olivet battled in the third set as Olivet lead by five points at 8-3 and Adrian led 18-16 later in the set. Sellers, Valerie Smith, Mary Rinke and Rebecca Tincknell each had a kill down the stretch in the third set to pull it out.

Adrian led 16-12 in the fourth set and looked poised to close out the match but Olivet scored 13 of the next 18 points to force a fifth set. The score was tied at 19-19 when Adrian had a pair of bad sets which gave Olivet a little breathing room. Sam Gibson closed out the set with a kill.

In the fifth, AC led 4-1 early as Tincknell had three kills in that stretch. Olivet responded to tie things at 7-7 after a Kim Travis kill. Adrian trailed 11-8 after setter Chelsea Guzikowski tallied a kill but Adrian scored four of the next five points to tie it at 12-12 after another Tincknell kill. Melanie Merchant gave Olivet a 13-12 lead with a kill but one play later Gibson was blocked by Tincknell and Smith to tie it at 13-13. Merchant hit a ball out on the next play and after a timeout, Tincknell ended things with a kill.

Tincknell led all players with 15 kills and hit .382 for the match. She also had four digs and three block assists. Sellers added 14 kills and seven digs. Smith had 13 kills and four blocks. Kristy DeClercq and Katie Macfarlan combined for 52 assists and 19 digs. Adrian is now 3-11 overall and 2-7 in the MIAA.